Greggs Bakery Heir Colin Gregg Convicted of Abusing Boys

On 3 March 2017 Colin Gregg, heir to the Greggs Bakery chain, was convicted of numerous sexual offences of abusing boys at a school where he was teaching following a trial which lasted nearly one month.

The 75 year old was charged with nine counts of indecent assault against four boys aged between 10 to 14 years old while he was Head Teacher at The King’s School Junior School, Tynemouth. The offences were said to have taken place in his home, in his car and in his swimming pool spanning a period of thirty years.

Gregg was previously a teacher at The Durham School as well as a social worker, giving rise to fears that many more children may have been abused by him while he took advantage of his positions of responsibility in the gravest way.

The CPS has commented;”Gregg exploited his position in society to abuse young boys, using them for his own sexual gratification.”

The charges against Gregg go back as far as 1963 and so his conviction some fifty years later will, it is hoped, offer comfort to those that are either yet to disclose abuse they have suffered or those that are currently going through the criminal process. It is evident that Operation Hydrant’s key message continues to be heard: victims will be listened to and allegations will be investigated no matter how long ago the offences took place.

Gregg is no stranger to abuse allegations as he was previously charged with a similar offence in 1997 but found not guilty at trial. He denied the charges throughout this latest criminal investigation instead claiming that he was the victim of a witch hunt. His continued manipulation and deceit therefore forced his victims to bravely give evidence in court. After a 12 hour deliberation by the jury, he has now finally been brought to justice and is behind bars for his crimes.

Sentencing is due to take place 30 March 2017 and he has been warned to expect a lengthy term of imprisonment.

If you think you may have been a victim of Colin Gregg please contact the police who have specially trained child protection officers to assist you with your disclosure.

Rebecca Sheriff is an Associate Solicitor at Bolt Burdon Kemp specialising in Child Abuse claims. If you think you may have a claim, contact her free of charge and in confidence on 020 7288 4828 or at RebeccaSheriff@boltburdonkemp.co.ukfor specialist legal advice. Alternatively, you can complete this form and one of the solicitors in the Child Abuse team will contact you. You can find out more about the Child Abuse team.